Cheesy Vermont Maple Apple Danish

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This dreamy confection was invented by Mrs. Howard to show off three of Vermont’s most famous products. The pastry is as easy as letting the butter soften to room temperature before starting, and following all instructions for chilling between rolling. Note that the dough should be chilled overnight, and plan accordingly.

Ingredients

3/4 cup milk

1/3 cup soft maple sugar, firmly packed

2 teaspoons salt

1/3 cup butter or margarine

2 packages dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water (not hot)

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

3 eggs, beaten

4-1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 cup soft butter or margarine

Instructions

Scald the milk; stir in the maple sugar, salt, and ⅓ cup butter or margarine. Let cool until lukewarm. Meanwhile, dissolve yeast in the warm water. Let stand at least 5 minutes. Combine yeast and lukewarm milk mixture. Mix in the almond extract and the beaten eggs, then add the flour, gradually. Blend all the ingredients thoroughly, but do not overmix. Place the dough in a greased 9”x13” pan and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Turn the dough out onto a floured board. Roll into a rectangle,12”x16”. Spread ⅓ cup of the remaining butter or margarine over two-thirds of the dough. Fold the unspread portion of the dough over half the covered portion. Fold the third section over the first two. Roll dough out again to the original size. Repeat this process twice, until the entire cup of soft butter is used up. Put the dough in the pan, cover, and chill overnight. Roll half of the dough into a rectangle at least 9”x16”x¼” for cockscombs or swirls. Roll dough to approximately 12”x16” for baby bunting or “envelope” shapes. Shape as desired and fill with cheesy maple-apple filling. Cover and let rise until very light and puffy (at least doubled in bulk). Bake at 375 degrees for about 12 minutes, or until delicately browned. While warm, frost lightly with maple icing.

Filling

Ingredients

4-6 slightly tart apples (such as firm McIntosh, Cortland, or Spy)

sharp Vermont Cheddar cheese, shredded or grated

cinnamon

soft maple sugar

2-4 tablespoons butter or margarine

Instructions

Melt enough butter or margarine in a large, heavy skillet to form a thin layer over the bottom. Pare, core, and thinly slice 2-3 apples for each half of the dough. Saute the apple slices in the melted butter over low heat, until just tender. Remove from heat. Place apples in the center of each piece of dough, approximately one tablespoonful for most shapes. Sprinkle on a dash of cinnamon, then generously top with maple sugar and shredded sharp cheddar cheese. The more cheese the better – but be careful not to use so much that the sugar or cheese will ooze out during baking.